Shengliver’s Note: Gather ye rosebuds while ye may. Timing is an essential ingredient for success. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. This teen writer’s walking on ice proves it.

Last winter it became so frigid that for a time snow blanketed everything outdoors. During breaks, we made snowmen and fought snowball wars. It was a merry time.

One day after school, I was hanging around at one of the twin pools near the school gate when I noticed a thin layer of ice formed in it. A good idea occurred to me, “Why not take a walk on the ice? It must be very cool.” I had to wait though.

A few days later, reckoning that the ice was thick enough to carry my weight, I made up my mind to have a go. While I was standing next to the pool, fear crept into my mind. Should the ice break and should I get bedraggled, I would not only become a laughing stock among my buddies but also suffer from the freezing weather. This, however, was a once-in-a-lifetime chance. Such sub-zero temperatures are rarer than hens’ teeth in this part of China. Finally, I overcame my misgiving and took a tentative step on the ice. After I was standing completely on the pool, the feeling was so great. Next, I warily paced around the ice. Some time later, a cracking noise came up from under. Immediately, I hopped off the ice and landed onto solid ground. On closer examination, a fissure had crisscrossed the frozen surface.

I bet I was the only one who walked on the ice in our school last winter. The experience was exquisite. Had I given up the chance then, I would be feeling rueful today.

If you want to achieve, buddy, do not let a precious fleeting opportunity slip by because of your hesitancy. Seize it.